How the order of first-round picks in the 2024 NFL Draft could affect the Bears’ decision at No. 9 overall originally appeared in NBC Sports Chicago
The beginning of 2024 NFL Draft There are still a few hours to go, but we already know what will happen with the Bears #1 overall pick. In fact, we’ve known for a long time. Everything points to GM Ryan Polos selecting Caleb Williams to take over as the team’s quarterback when the draft finally begins next Thursday. After that, however, things get cloudier.
The Bears’ next selection is at No. 9, and what happens with the middle picks could determine what they decide to do. Here’s a look at the full first round project.
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Bears (via CAR)
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Commanders
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Patriots
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Cardinals
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Chargers
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Giants
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Titans
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Falcons
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Bears
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Jets
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Vikings
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Broncos
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Invaders
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Santos
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Colts
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Seahawks
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Jaguars
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Walking sticks
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thieves
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Dolphins
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Eagles
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Vikings (via CLE)
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Cowboys
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Packers
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Buccaneers
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Cardinals (via HOU)
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Accounts
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Lions
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Crows
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49ers
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Bosses
The Bears have several options to consider with the No. 9 pick. One could argue that drafting a wide receiver, an offensive tackle and a pass rusher would help the team in both the short and long term. Additionally, an up or down trade could be on the table. The possibilities are countless and the team’s final decision may depend on what happens in front of them – and the desperation of the teams behind them.
Let’s start with the teams ahead of the Bears. Assuming quarterbacks come off the board with the top three picks, a big tipping point could be fourth place with the Cardinals. They could stay put and select one of the “big three” wide receivers or potentially trade back to another QB-needy team. From there, the Chargers, Giants and Titans could all draft a wide receiver or an offensive tackle. Then there are the Falcons, who are widely speculated to be the first team to take a defensive player off the board.
Let’s say there’s a big rush on quarterbacks and offensive tackles. In that scenario, an elite receiver could be left to the Bears, and they could jump at the chance to pair Williams with a playmaker for the rest of their careers. By adding Keenan Allen earlier this offseason to line up alongside DJ Moore, the Bears ensured that Williams would have two excellent WRs to target. But Allen turns 32 later this month and will likely only play in Chicago for a few seasons — if he signs a contract extension with the team. Perhaps the Poles see this as an opportunity for the team to prepare their attack for the long term?
What if all the top-shelf wide receivers are gone when the Bears pick again, but a left tackle they covet is there? We know the Bears value trench-building, given the OL pedigrees of Poles and assistant GM Ian Cunningham, so it shouldn’t be a huge surprise if the team opts to bolster the unit.
Or perhaps the Bears have an extremely high grade on a pass rusher who is still on the board while their top offensive prospects are gone? If there’s a guy they’ve circled as a force multiplier on the defensive line with significantly better grades than the rest of the class, they could take the opportunity to add him and keep the defense on its upward trajectory from last year.
There’s also a world in which every top-tier player on the Bears’ board is gone by the time they pick. Or maybe only three quarterbacks are chosen in the top eight picks and a QB-needy team becomes impatient to make a move. In either case, the Poles could call and offer the No. 9 pick to the highest bidder, hoping to salvage a second or third round. The Vikings, Broncos, Raiders and perhaps even the Jets or Saints could be thinking about their next quarterback and could be interested in making a deal with the Bears.
This is the project order now, but things could change at any time between now and the start of the project. When picks start arriving on Thursday night, more draft-day trades will also filter through. And everything that happens from the No. 2 pick to the No. 8 pick will affect what happens to the Bears’ No. 9 pick.
